Malaysia’s arts and culture can indeed be a powerful draw for tourists from around the world, the Bukit Bendera MP said.

“This, in turn, can help boost the country’s economy and create new job opportunities,” she said in a statement.

Syerleena said for a sector that drives tourism activities, there was a great need to “refine and increase the allocated budget” for the arts and creative-culture sector.

Under the recently tabled budget, Putrajaya set aside RM102 million for digital content grants aimed to assist and promote new works in the creative industries, RM25 million for heritage and cultural activities at the community level, and RM20 million for arts and cultural programmes in schools.

However, Syerleena said the sustainability and prosperity of the arts and cultural scene could not be achieved through cash handouts but innovative programmes that empower them

And as a start, she said, the government should draft a national creative industry policy as well as set up a council solely for the arts and music.

The main objective of a national policy and a council, Syerleena explained, was to safeguard the welfare of artistes and industry players, and find better ways to streamline local licensing systems, entertainment fees and other legal frameworks.

This would help reduce undue stress inflicted upon local artistes and help empower them, she said.

“It is time we recognise the symbiotic relationship between the tourism as well as arts and creative-culture sectors and see how the latter truly impacts the local economy.”